Controlling grain and contrast in color photography



P 1954 w. R. WELLER ETAL 2,689,793

CONTROLLING GRAIN AND CONTRAST IN COLOR PHOTCGRAPHY Filed March 13, 1953 I WILLIAM R. WELLER NICHOLAS h. GROET INVENTOR.

arr'r a aar Patented Sept. 21, 1954 UNITE tam CONTROLLING GRAIN AND C(PNTRAST IN COLGR PHO'EGGRAPHY J? ersey Application March is, 1953, Serial N0. 342,066

This invention relates to a process for controlling the graininess, sharpness and contrast characteristics of dye images in color photography.

In well-known processes of color photography the dye images are produced in silver halide emulsion layers by exposing to colored subjects and developing the resulting latent images with a primary aromatic amino silver halide developing agent in the presence of coupler compounds which react with the oxidized developing agent to form dyes. In such a process of dye image formation, commonly called color development, the dyes which are formed generally have relatively very high covering power. Thus for a given number of moles per unit area of the image, a dye image prepared by color development exhibits a much higher density to light in the wavelength region corresponding to its absorption band than does a silver image. For this reason a conventional emulsion layer, which on normal blackan'd-white processing yields a normal contrast silver imageproduces a dyeimage on color development which has such excessive contrast that it is not usable in a color photographic process.

Inorder to overcome this intensification effect of color development, it is usually necessary to reduce the amount of silver halidein the emulsion layers to such a point that the dye images formed on color development have the required normal contrast values. In practice it has been found that this leads to the use of very low amounts of silver halide in the emulsion layers relative to the amounts normally used in conventional blackand-white sensitive materials. Serious and undesirable consequences of such a reduction in silver halide content of the emulsion layers are that the color-developed dye images have a very coarse-grained structure and a loss in image sharpness and definition ocours.

It would appear that this difficulty might be circumvented by using silver halide emulsions which are inherently finer grained so that the emulsion layers would have the same total sil ver halide content distributed among a larger number of grains. Unfortunately, this simple solution cannot be realized in those cases where emulsion speed is of importance, because the speed of a silver halide emulsion is, in general, directly related to the grain size. Accordingly, for those color photographic materials where high emulsion speed is a necessary property, the relatively coarser-grained silver halide emulsions must be employed and alternative solu- 13 Claims. (Cl. 95-88) tions to the problems of graininess, and sharpness and definition of the dye images must be sought.

We have now discoveredthat a solution to this problem is attained when the silver halide emulsion layers containing relatively large amounts of silver halide are color developed in the presence of an agent which is capable of reacting With the oxidized developing agent, with the result that a portion of the total oxidized devel oper formed during development is rendered anavailable for dye image formation. In effect, the added agent competes with the coupler for the oxidized developer and thereby permits the formation during color development of an amount of oxidized developer in excess of that required to produce dye images of normal contrast. This, in turn, permits the use oflarger amounts of silver halide in the emulsion layers, and as the end result one obtains dye images of the desired normal contrast which do not have the exaggerated graininess and low sharpness and definition which characterize the images produced by conventional color development procedures.

One object of our invention, therefore, is to provide a process for obtaining dye images with improved graininess and sharpness characteristics. A further object is to provide a method for obtaining dye images of normal contrast by color development of silver halide emulsion layers which contain amounts of silver halide in excess of that required for the production of dye images by conventional color development procedures. Other objects will become apparent from the following more detailed description of our invention.

The objects of our invention are preferably accomplished by using, for the formation of colored photographic images, silver halide emulsion layers containing amounts of silver halide in excess of those required to produce images of normal contrast when conventional color development is carried out, and conducting the color development of such emulsionlayers in the presence of a compound, referred to hereinafter as a competing, coupler, which competes with another coupler present for the oxidized developer. The competing couplers appear to react with the oxidized developing agent to produce a dye which is soluble and removable from the emulsion layer by washing. it

couplers into the system. The first type of such processes makes use of couplers which are soluble in the color developer solution and which are diffusible into the silver halide emulsion layers. Here the dye-forming reactions occur between two components of the color developer solution to produce a dye which is insoluble and/or nondiffusible. In the second type of color processes, nondifiusing couplers are incorporated in the silver halide emulsion layers and the coupling reactions occur between these incorporated couplers and the primary aromatic amino developing agent supplied from thecolor developer solution as shown in Mannes et al. U. S. Patent 2,304,940 and Jelley and Vittum U. S. Patent 2,- 322,027. Our invention is applicable to both types of color processes. In the first type of process which employs soluble difiusible couplers, the color developer solution contains the color developing agent, the dye-image-forming coupler, andthe competing coupler. With the color process employing incorporated nondiliusi-ng couplers, the developer solution contains the color .developing agent and the competing coupler, or alternatively, the competing coupler can also be. incorporated in the silver halide emulsion layers.

As used herein, by diifusible coupler is meant one which can be incorporated in the developer and which forms a soluble dye which quickly diffuses out of the emulsion layer, and by soluble but non-diffusing coupler, is meant one which can be incorporated in the developer, but forms a comparatively permanent, nondiffusing dye.

The accompanying drawings show, by means of graphical representation, the effect upon con-' trast of utilizing the difiusibl'e competing coupler in the development of a high concentration coarse-grained emulsion containing a nondifiusing coupler compound.

Color development has previously been carried out in the presence of a mixture of couplers in emulsion layers as disclosed in U. S. Patent- 2,186,736, granted January 9, 1940, toobtain a colored image andin U. S. Patent 2,428,054, September 30, 1947, and South African Patent 1,240 of 1946. However, these patents contemplate the use-only of couplers which are-non-diffusible in emulsion layers anddo not contemplate the use of non-diffusing couplers in emulsions developed by color developer compositions containing diffusible couplers as in the present invention. Similarly, our invention is separate and distinct from any known use of a mixture of soluble and diflusible' couplers in color developing solutions that form images of nondifiusing dyes.

Our invention will now be described in more detailv in the following example with particular reference to the accompanying drawings:

A fast coarse-grained red -light-sensitive emulsion is. prepared and a non-diffusing coupler compound 2-(diamylphenoxyacetamido)- 4,6-dichloro-5-methyl phenol is dispersed therein by the methods of the above J elley and Vittum invention. The concentration of silver halide and coupler compound in the emulsion are so adjusted thatwhen the emulsion is coated on to a suitable film base, 60 milligrams of coupler and 30 milligrams of silver halide (calculated as silver) are obtained per square foot of coating. This represents a quantity of silver halide which will yield, upon color development a cyan dye imageof useful contrast although having more grain than desired. Thezemulsion-layer isthen' exposed to the red aspect of a colored subject and developed for 9 minutes in an ordinary color-forming developer solution such as that shown in the mentioned patent but devoid of coupler compounds. Development is then followed ;by. removal. of the silverimage; obtained during development to yield". a cyan dye: image, the contrast of which is illustrated by the density-log E curve 1 of the drawings. The contrast of. this image .is comparable to contrasts of dye images obtained in widely used color processes; however, the graininess of the cyan dye image is more than desired.

A similar emulsion is prepared in the manner of the mentioned patent having a considerably higher silver halide concentration per unit area such that when it is coated on to a film base the silver concentration is 400 milligrams per square foot and the coupler concentration 60 milligrams per square foot of coating (the same coupler concentration as that. ofthe first-emulsionprepared above). After exposure as. above; development: is carried out in the same'color. developing come'. position for 6 minutes and: the-silver image. .isv removed. Curve 2 shows the high; contrast of the cyan dye image obtained by increasingthezsilven concentration of the emulsion. from 30 to 400: milligrams per square. foot.

According to our invention; when there is :now added to the color developing solution,-12.5- grams of the diffusible coupler compoundi'l-amino-snaphthal-3,6-disulfonic' acid (H-acid): and the second emulsion is developed. in thiscomposir; tion for 11 minutes followed; by the. usual silver removal steps involving use of an oxidizing: bleach bath; followedbytreatment with=hypo; and washing, curve 3 shows thatuthecontrast'ofz the cyan dye image obtained .is substantially. that of the color processrepresentedibycurve I. In addition, a comparison of thezgrain charac:-= teristicsshows that the grain: has; been materially. reduced-by the use of thediifusiblev coupler compound in the developer composition. Presumably grain has been-improved because moredevelop-. ment centers are made available by usingz the higher silver halide concentrationwand because the dye; does not appear-to wanderfrorn these. development: centers-as in the case-of emulsions containing relatively little silver halide;v 1

Comparable results are obtained. when the: process is-carried out by reversal; in which the: emulsion is first developed: in. a black .andwhite developer followed by reversal. exposure. and". de velopment with the color .1 developingnsolutiorn containingv the diffusible coupler compound.

' For example, two1differentially sensitized: mnltii-..

layer color elements each. containing: .lIlLlthGLIGI-X spective emulsion layers, .substantiallyz non-J, diffusing coupler compounds were-prepared .:by the methods of the aboveU; S.Patentsz2,30.4,940 and 2,322,027. The two elements were similar. in all respects except thatweachemulsiomlayer of the first element contained; from-.twoatortour. times as much silver halide'asstheucorresponding emulsion layer ofthe second element. Thetwo. elements were then exposed toa. colored-subject and. developed in a blacheandt-white developer:- Following reversaliexposure: each. element was then developed under the same conditions ina colorv developer. of the same composition' except' that: the color. developer for the first element was modified solely by. adding .075 g. -per-liter 0t 1-naphtol+3,6,8-trisulfonic acid. l Theelementswere then: both subjected to the usual silverbleachaandfixing steps..: Under:these processin-gconditions the twocoatings gave dye images havingvery nearly the same contrast and color balance; however, the first element which had higher silver content and which was developed in the color developer containing the diiiusible coupler compound, showed about .4 log E higher speed, much higher sharpness and definition, and less graininess than the second element.

Our process is primarily designed for, although not limited to use in systems of color photography employing superposed emulsion layers sensitized to the primary regions of the visible spectrum and containing in the respective emulsion layers non-diifusing coupler compounds yielding differently colored dye images. When our invention is employed as described with these superimposed emulsion layers and development is carried out in a color-forming developer composition containing a soluble competing coupler yielding a diifusible dye, the contrast and grain characteristics of the dye images in all emulsion layers are improved substantially as illustrated in the drawings. Such films may be utilized in the well-known negative-positive and reversal color development processes in the man-= ner described in the above examples.

The silver halide concentration per unit area of the emulsion layers employed in our invention is that necessary to reduce the contrast and grain to the desired value and can be varied within rather wide limits depending upon the result desired and the particular process which is under consideration. Substantial improvement in grain characteristics is obtained by using at least about 50 milligrams per square foot of emulsion and preferably about 2 to 25 times the usual silver halide concentration of incorporated coupler processes, or from about 50' to 750 milligrams of silver halide (calculated as silver) per square foot of emulsion. As is apparent, if the emulsions contain substantially more than about .50 milligrams silver per square foot, normal color development in absence of diffusible coupler compounds yields greater contrast than usually desired in color processes.

The quantity of competing diifusible coupler which is used in the color developing compositions is dependent upon a number of factors. One of these is the relative coupling activity of the non diffusible couplers compared to that of the diffusible competing couplers. In a given color system a suitable type and quantity of competing coupler can be readily ascertained. Another factor is the contrast desired in the particular color process under consideration. That is, in a color printing process a contrast of 2.5 may be desired, whereas in a negative color process such as illustrated in the above example, a contrast of only about 0.7 may be desired. More competing diffusible coupler can be employed in conjunction with the latter process to effect a greater reduction in contrast. We naturally use suflicient diffusible competing coupler in the developer composition that after color development of the emulsion layers containing coupler compound followed by washing out the diffusible dye image, there are obtained non-diffusilole dye images having the contrast of the process under consideration, such as contrasts of the order of about 0.5 to 2.5.

In connection with multilayer color films for which our process is particularly adapted, these color films may contain in the respective emulsion layers non-diiiusible couplers of different coupler activity. Therefore, the relative increase in the silver halide concentration required in the emulsion layers may differ depending upon the coupling characteristics of the couplers in each emulsion layer.

The diifusible coupler compound, I-I-acid, employed in the above example is especially efficacious for use in the process of our invention. Other suitable diifusible coupler compounds are the following:

1-amino-8-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid H- acid 2-amino-5-naphthol-7-sulfonic acid-J-acid 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene disulfonic acid-chromotropic acid 1-naphthol-3,6,8-trisulfonic acid l-naphthol-Z-sulfonic acid p-(w-Benzoylacetamino) benzene sulfonic acid 2, l-di-nitrophenylacetic acid l-amino-8-naphthol-2,4-disulfonic acid l-naphthol-4,8-disulfonic acid l-p-sulfophenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone 1-phenyl-3-meta-sulfobenzamido-5-pyrazolone l-naphthol-5-sulfonic acid It will be noted that it is stated in U. S. Patents 2,445,252 and 2,480,815 that J-acid is not sufficiently stable to be of use in color processes employing bleaching or oxidizing baths, such as used in our invention for the removal of silver images during the processing of color films. For

the purposes of this invention the stability of.

coupled dyes from J acid is of no consequence since this dye is soluble and does not remain in the final photographic image.

It will be apparent that our invention can be used in conjunction with many types of emulsion layers regardless of silver halide concentration, to efifect contrast and grain favorably. While the faster and coarser grained emulsions of the concentration indicated are particularly adapted to use in our process, for some purposes the finergrained emulsions can be used but the alteration in contrast and grain of the dye images obtained therefrom is less pronounced.

The invention is particularly applicable to use in conjunction with multilayer color films containing colored color-forming coupler compounds such as disclosed in U. S. Patents 2,428,054 and 2,449,966. Likewise, mixed grain photographic elements, such as described. in U. S. Patents 2,490,749 and 2,490,751, are adapted to use in our process for the mentioned purposes by utilizing coupler-containing mixed grain emulsions having silver halide concentrations of the order indicated and developing such emulsions with color developer compositions containing diffusible coupler compounds such as illustrated.

If desired, the soluble couplers forming diffusible dyes such as mentioned can be used in color developing compositions also containing soluble coupler compounds forming substantially non-diffusible dyes. The non-diffusible dyes then remain in the photographic layer forming the color photographic image whereas the diifusible dye images formed along with them in color development leach out of the photographic layers in washing. For this purpose, the mentioned sulfonated naphthol types of couplers are more useful than couplers such as the simple mono and polyhydric phenols. Such developer compositions are particularly useful for the development of dye images in emulsion layers devoid of coupler compounds; however, the effect obtained may be somewhat diiferent than the case when the diifusible coupler is in the de- .ifine-graini dye imagesiin"processesnnormally emip'loying i only lolack andswhite rmalterials iLBJIId -processing. "For example,ninprocesses ain which iafsfineiagraina silver rimage' iiseiusuallywemployed it was found that our process couldtfb uusedito obtain the. requisite .finegrain..-image with. asubstantial increase in effective emulsion speed, or alternately a reduction. in graininesswithout loss in reflective. emulsion speed. The process was carried out substantially as set forth in the above example employing the.nonadifiusingcoupler or mixture of different nondiffusing couplers inthe emulsion and the-diffusing .cou'plen .in .the colordeveloping solution, the-silver imageflbeing removed from. the emulsion."followingdevelopment leaving a fine grained .dye image. Alternately, both the..non=diffusing-coupler and. the diifusing coupler can. be .used in. the developer which. permits the use or conventional .black-ancl-White sensitive materials.

- 1. A process for preparingcolored photographic "images-Which comprises exposing to a subject a li-ght s'ensitive silver 'halide emulsion layer containing anon-diffusing coupler compound, developing the exposedemul'sion layer-With a-colordeveloping solution containing a mixture of a primary aromatic amino silver halide developing agentan'd a diif-usible'coupler compound, to obtain in the exposed-region of the emulsion layer both a non difiusibledye image" from the nondifiusible-coupler and a 'diffusi'ble-dye imagefrom the di-ifusible coupler, and" Washing the difi'usible dye image" from the emulsion layer.

'12. A process for preparing colored photographic 4 "imageswhich comprises exposing to a subject a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a non-diffusing. coupler compound, which emulsion is developable with a'solution or a, primary aromatic amino silver halide "developing agent to a contrast higher than that. of the color 4 process, developing the exposed emulsion layer .With.saidrcolondeveloping solution containing a mixture of said developing agentland sufficient .difiusible coupler compound to obtain in' the ex- ,.posed regions of the emulsion layer-a non-diffusi- ..ble.idye image having. the contrast .of. the, process and a 'di'ifusible ldye image, and washing'the diffusible dye? image fromithe emulsion layer.

'3. ."A process for preparing colored photographic images which comprises exposing to a'subject a- .light sensitive.silver'halide emulsion layer containing .a non-diffusing coupler compound sand atlleast about "50 mg. of silver as silver halide .per sq. ft. of emulsion, which emulsion isdevelopable With a solution of a primaryv aromatic amino silver? halide. developing agent to a contrast higher than that of the color process, developing the exposed emul'sionlayer with. said color-developing..solutionv containing a mixture of said develop-ingoage-nt and sufficient .difiusible coupler compound to obtain inthe exposed .regio-ns of the emulsion i layer a .non .dii fusible -.d.ye .-.image having the contrast of the .pr'ocess and. adiffusi- .xble dye image, and washingtheclifiusible-v dye. image from the emulsion layer.

14. A process for preparing coloredv photographic 2 images :which comprisesrexposingto. a.-subje'ct Ia .1igh13eiSBIlSltlV8 silver .z ha'lide' 'emulsioni layer a-containing .a nonedifiusing: coupler Icomp-oun'dg and 7 i'fromiabout 50 to 750::ngnof silver-as silver halide 'Jpensq; it. iof' emulsiom'which emulsion is develop- .iable with a solution of a' primary 1 aromatic amino s'silver h'a'lidedevelopingiagent'to a contrast higher :thanilthat of'themolor processg developing the exposed emulsion. :layer with said" color-develop- .ing .2 solution 2'. containing a mixture :of said developing :agent and sufficient diffusible "coupler :-compound'to obtain in the exposed regions of 0 thei' emulsion layer a non-diffusible dye image :"h'aving. the contrastofr the process and, a diffusibleidye'image, and washing the clifl usible -dye image' frcm" the emulsion layer.

r5..Atprocess'forpreparing colored photographic ."images which:comprises exp'osing i to a subj eat" a alight-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a none'difitusing coupler compound, which emulsion ist developable with a scilution of a iprimary aromatic'z amino silver "halide developing 0 ixagentz-t :aiicontrast higher than that of the color processdeveloping the exposed emulsion layer "withzsaid rcoloredeveloping solution containing a mixture :of said f'developing agent and 'sufii-cient .dlffusible icoupler "compound containing a phe- 5 nolic :rhydroxy1 groupito obtain inithe exposed regions of theemulsion layer :a non diffusible dye image -having :the contrast of the process and -containing zazdifiusib-le cyan dye image; and washing the diff'usible cyan dye imagefro'nr the "figA process tor -preparing colored photographic .iimages which comprises exposing to a subject a light sensitivesilver'halide emulsion layer conr taining 'a non i'difiusing coupler compound, which 0 emulsion-is developab'le with a-solution of a pri- 'mary -aromatic amino silVerha'li'de developing agentto apontrast"higher-than that of the color process, developing the expose'd emulsion layer w'ith sai'd color-developing solution containing-a "mixture of said developing: agent and'suflicient diffusible couple-r com-pound containing a group of atoms having a reactive methylene group to "obtain inthe exposed 'reg-ions of theemulsion layer a non-difiusible dye imagehaving the contrast of the process and a 'd'iffusible dyeimage, and Washing the difiusible dye image from the "emulsion layer.

"7. process for'preparing colored photographic images/which comprisesexposing to a subject a 0 light sensitive silver halide emulsion layercon- 'taining"a'non diifusing coupler compound, which emulsionisdevelopable with a solution of a-- primary aromatic *amino silver "halide developing 1 agent tosa contrast 'higher than'thatof -the color 5 process, developing the exposed emulsion layer wi'th' said color-developing solution containing a mixture" of 1 said "developing agent and sufficient di ff'usib'le coupler 'compou-n'dcontaining a '5 pyraz- "clone "group to obtain in the exposed regions of O-the emulsionvlayer'a non diffusible "dye image having the'contrast of the'process and-a difru'sible ni-a'ge-nta dye image," and Washing the diffusible magenta dye image from the emulsion layer.

8. process'for preparing colored photographic 5 iima'ges which comprises exposing toa suloject -a Jlightsensitive 1 silver "halide emulsion layer containing ainon difiusing coupler compound, Which --emulsion is i developable with a solution of a ;:.primary aromatic amino silver halide developing 0 agent to a contrast higher than that ofthe color i'process, developingthe exposed emulsion layer with said coloredeveloping solution-containing "a mixture -of said -developing"agent and sufii'cient diffusi'blercoupler compound containing a group obtain in the exposed regions of the emulsion layer a non-difiusible dye image having the contrast of the process and a difi'usible yellow dye image, and washing the diffusible yellow dye image from the emulsion layer.

9. A process for preparing colored photographic images which comprises exposing to a subject a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a non-diffusing coupler compound, which emulsion is developable with a solution of a primary aromatic amino silver halide developing agent to a contrast higher than that of the color process, developing the exposed emulsion layer with said color-developing solution containing a mixture of said developing agent and sufficient difiusible coupler compound containing a naphthol sulfonic acid group to obtain in the exposed regions of the emulsion layer a non-difiusible dye image having the contrast of the process and a diffusible cyan dye image and washing the diffusible cyan dye image from the emulsion layer.

10. A process for preparing colored photographic images which comprises exposing to a subject a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a non-diffusing coupler compound, which emulsion is developable with a solution of a primary aromatic amino silver halide developing agent to a contrast higher than that of the color process, developing the exposed emulsion layer with said color-developing solution containing a mixture of said developing agent and sufiicient diffusible coupler compound of the class consisting of 1-naphthol-5-sulfonic acid, 1 p sulfophenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone, 1 phenyl-3-metasulfo-benzamido-5-pyrazolone, l-amino-B-naphthol 3,6 disulfonic acid, 2- amino-5-naphthol-7-sulfonic acid, 1,8-dihydroxy-naphthalene disulfonic acid, l-naphthol- 3,6,8-trisulfonic acid, l-naphthol-Z-sulfonic acid, p-(w-benzoylacetamino) benzene sulfonic acid, 1-amino-8naphthol-2,4disulfonic acid, l-naphthol-4,8-disulfonic acid and 2,4-dinitrophenylacetic acid to obtain in the exposed regions of the emulsion layer a non-diffusing dye image having the contrast of the process and a diifusible dye image, and washing, the diifusible dye image from the emulsion layer.

11. A process for preparing colored photographic images which comprises exposing to a subject a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a non-diffusing coupler compound, which emulsion is developable with a solution of a primary aromatic amino silver halide developing agent to a contrast higher than that of the color process, developing the exposed emulsion layer with said color-developing solution containing a mixture of said developing agent and sufiicient 1-amino-8-naphthol-3,6- disulfonic acid to obtain in the exposed regions ll) of the emulsion layer a non-diffusing dye image having the contrast of the process and a diffusible cyan dye image, and washing the diifusible dye image from the emulsion layer.

12. A process for preparing colored photographic images which comprises exposing to a subject a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a non-diffusing coupler compound which emulsion is developable with a solution of a primary aromatic amino silver halide developing agent to a contrast higher than that of the color process, developing the exposed emulsion layer with said color-developing solution containing a mixture of said developing agent and sufficient 1-naphthol-3,6,8-trisulfonic acid to obtain in the exposed regions of the emulsion layer a non-diffusing dye image having the contrast of the process and a diffusible cyan dye image, and washing the diffusible dye image from the emulsion layer.

13. The process of claim 17 in which the emulsion layer is contained in a multilayer color film.

14. The process of claim 11 in which the emulsion layer is contained in a multilayer color film.

15. The process of claim 12 in which the emulsion layer is contained in a multilayer color film.

16. A method for preparing colored photographic images which comprises exposing to a subject a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, developing the exposed emulsion layer with a color-developing solution containing a primary aromatic amino silver halide developing agent, a coupler compound forming a non-diffusing dye image in the emulsion layer, and a coupler compound containing a sulfonated naphthol group forming a difiusible dye image in the emulsion layer, and Washing the difiusible dye image from the emulsion layer.

17. A process for preparing a colored photographic image in an exposed silver halide emulsion layer containing a non-difiusing coupler compound, which comprises developing the exposed emulsion layer with a color-developing solution containing a mixture of a primary aromatic amino silver halide developing agent and a diffusible coupler compound, to obtain in the exposed region of the emulsion layer both a non-diffusible dye image from the non-clifiusible coupler and a diffusible dye image from the diifusible coupler, and washing the diffusible dye image from the emulsion layer.

18. The process of claim 17 in which the exposed emulsion layer designated is an emulsion layer which has been exposed to a subject,

developed by black-and-white development and reversal exposed.

No references cited. 

1. A PROCESS FOR PREPARING COLORED PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES WHICH COMPRISES EXPOSING TO A SUBJECT A LIGHT-SENSITIVE SILVER HALIDE EMULSION LAYER CONTAINING A NON-DIFFUSING COUPLER COMPOUND, DEVELOPING THE EXPOSED EMULSION LAYER WITH A COLORDEVELOPING SOLUTION CONTAINING A MIXTURE OF A PRIMARY AROMATIC AMINO SILVER HALIDE DEVELOPING AGENT AND A DIFFUSIBLE COUPLER COMPOUND, TO OBTAIN IN THE EXPOSED REGION OF THE EMULSION LAYER BOTH A NON-DIFFUSIBLE DYE IMAGE FROM THE NONDIFFUSIBLE COUPLER AND A DIFFUSIBLE DYE IMAGE FROM THE DIFFUSIBLE COUPLER, AND WASHING THE DIFFUSIBLE DYE IMAGE FROM THE EMULSION LAYER. 